Creating Global Democracy

by Sanderson Beck

We need world organization that is democratic. The United Nations
was founded as an organization in 1945, succeeding and taking
over many of the functions of the defunct League
of Nations. Yet the United
Nations was the name of the allies that won World War II,
and the five powers (Britain, China, France, the Soviet Union,
and the United States) made themselves the only permanent members
of the United Nations Security Council, each with veto power.
Although the United Nations
has helped to manage many global problems, from its inception
it was not democratic and did not represent the people of the
world but rather the governments of the nations. In the General
Assembly and the Security Council, the officials representing
each country were delegated by the national governments; they
were not elected by the people and have had little political power.

Recently certain multi-lateral organizations such as the World
Bank, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and the World Trade
Organization (WTO) have been increasing their power and influence
over world affairs and pressuring nations to adopt policies and
change their laws for the sake of the capitalist interests that
dominate these organizations. Unfortunately as a result this domination
by financial interests has increased the gap between the rich
and the poor in the world to epidemic proportions with millions
of people suffering and dying of malnutrition and various diseases.
These inequalities are increasing the conflicts in the world so
that many people are killed in wars within and between nations.
Thus the efforts of the United Nations to fulfill its objective
"to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war"
are failing to accomplish the purpose for which the organization
came into existence. With the pressures of diminishing oil and
fresh water resources, I believe that it is critical that we develop
a democratic form of world organization that can oversee universal
disarmament, alleviate poverty, maintain security and health for
all, protect human rights, and promote education.

The current leaders of powerful nations, especially the US,
are making the world situation worse by their wars and attempts
to dominate. The time has come for the people of the world to
join together and rise up to put an end to these cruel wars and
make sure that the rights of all are protected as life is nurtured
and made better. Some have feared that a world government would
become too powerful and take away people's freedoms because the
empires that have risen in world history by military power have
been oppressive. Yet every attempt to dominate by means of force
has brought a reaction from other people who have eventually overthrown
these warlike empires. Now the United States and its capitalist
allies are attempting to dominate the world by their military
power, using the "war on terrorism" as an excuse to
make the world a police state controlled by their power and influence.
In my opinion as a philosopher the attempt to make the world "free"
or "democratic" by force of arms is hypocritical and
doomed to failure. The people of the United States have the responsibility
to reverse these fascist tendencies that have led to the invasion
and toppling of governments in other countries. The people of
the world can also organize to overcome this latest attempt at
militaristic imperialism. No nation or small group of nations
has the right to dominate the world.

Thus I believe that the need to develop truly democratic world
institutions is imperative at this stage in world history. We
need to design carefully a constitution that can be democratically
adopted by the people in all nations so that the rights and welfare
of everyone are protected by its checks and balances. For this
I believe we need much more than the debating society that is
the United Nations. We need a constitutional government that is
elected by all the people in the world and that has three independent
branches of government (legislative, executive, and judicial)
that can protect the rights of all and resolve all international
disputes by democratic and judicial processes rather than by the
massive violence of armed forces. The question is how long the
people of the world will allow the rich and powerful to dominate
their lives. By joining together to work for the good of all we
can bring about radical changes by nonviolent means so that we
can have a world of human equality and peaceful harmony that comes
from the establishment of justice. Democracy means participation
by the people in the making of important decisions that affect
people's lives, and thus it is up to the people to make this come
about by our participation in a world-wide movement to disarm
the weapons, remove the violent politicians, and implement the
new democratic institutions that will enable us to accomplish
these goals.

I have drafted a proposed Constitution
of the Federal Earth Democracy. I hope that this can be a
starting point for discussion that could lead to a world constitutional
convention that could agree on a constitution to be submitted
for ratification to all the nations on Earth. These are only suggestions
and can be modified by the process of discussion and negotiation.
Yet I have drafted a compete document in order to facilitate the
process of actually producing a document that most people can
support. Ideas have been floating around for a long time. An attempt
was made beginning in 1958 to call for a world constitutional
convention. After preliminary congresses a convention met in 1968,
but a first draft was not completed until 1974. A call for ratification
of the second draft was issued in 1977, and a provisional world
parliament first convened in 1982 with delegates from 25 countries.
However, as the constitution was not widely recognized nor ratified
by any government or majority of people in any nation, its meetings
became more symbolic rather than a practical political organization.
This attempt, though well intentioned, was not successful at winning
over enough of world opinion to be politically effective.

The recent development of instant global communication through
the world wide web that is spreading rapidly to millions of people
every day has made it possible for the first time to have a discussion
throughout the world without delays for transportation. Millions
of people can express their views on any given issue, and good
ideas can spread like lightning from east to west. The potential
for coalescing a majority opinion in the world can now be made
actual. New global institutions will emerge, one way or another.
I am suggesting that we should make these as wise and nonviolent
(loving) as possible for the good of all. I have faith that open
discussion will produce better solutions and that people will
be able to recognize what is likely to work best. Thus I present
the first draft of the Constitution
of the Federal Earth Democracy for the world's consideration.

The preamble states the main goals as

to establish justice and peace among nations,
provide for the common security,
resolve international disputes,
regulate international trade,
preserve the environment of the Earth,
protect human rights,
promote the general welfare,
and secure the blessings of liberty for ourselves and our posterity

The constitution is federal in that it delegates powers to
the democratically elected federal government of the Earth while
reserving all other powers to the sovereignty of the people and
their nations.

The legislative branch of the Federal
Earth Democracy (FED) has two houses in order to distribute
power to representatives based on population and those from geographic
areas. The principle of one vote for each person in the world
is the foundation of the Assembly of Representatives, which is
based on population. Since it would be difficult for a legislative
body with much more than a thousand members to function, each
member represents ten million people. With the current world population
of about six and a half billion people this means about 650 members
would each have one vote. In addition nations with less than five
million people would have a representative with each having one-half
vote. Even nations with less than one million people would have
a delegate with a voice in the debates but without a vote. An
additional safeguard against an attempt to gain more votes by
dividing into smaller nations, allows new nations with less than
ten million people to have only one representative with one-half
vote and new nations with less than five million people one non-voting
representative. Currently there are 111 nations with more than
five million people that would have at least one full-voting representative,
and there are 45 nations with between one million and five million
people that would have a representative with one half vote. Depending
on what is considered a nation state, the other forty to sixty
nations with less than one million people would be allowed to
elect a non-voting representative.

The other legislative body in the Congress of the Federal
Earth Democracy would be the Senate with 180 members. The
people in nine regions (China, India, East Asia, North Asia, Middle
East, Africa, Europe, South America, and North America) would
elect twenty senators from each region by proportional representation
so that each portion of the regions would have fair representation
through the political parties that could muster about five percent
or more of the vote. The Assembly of Representatives would be
elected from districts within the nations every two years by instant
run-off voting so that all parties would have a fair chance to
be successful. The Senators would have six-year terms with three
of the nine regions voting every two years. The Senators and Representatives
will receive compensation from the Federal
Earth Democracy, and to assure their independence they may
not hold any other office in any nation or state while serving
in the Congress of the Federal
Earth Democracy. An additional safeguard against the corruption
of money requires them to forgo any other income while in office.

The bicameral legislature requires a majority vote by both
the Assembly and Senate to pass laws or resolutions. If the bill
they pass is not approved by two-thirds of the Council of Nine
Presidents, they may over-ride this veto by a vote of two-thirds
in both houses. The Congress of the Federal
Earth Democracy will have the power to tax international trade,
borrow money, regulate international commerce, coin money and
regulate currencies, fix the standards of weights and measures,
protect the rights of inventors and authors, establish courts
of international law below the Supreme Court, inspect and investigate
compliance with treaties and violations of the laws of the Federal Earth Democracy,
organize and equip peacekeeping missions to resolve international
conflicts, and make laws necessary for carrying out its responsibilities.

The executive power is headed by the Council of Nine Presidents,
who will be elected directly by the people voting in the nine
regions. They serve six-year terms, and every two years three
regions each elect one President. The largest region in population
contains only the nation of China with a little over 1300 million
people. The second largest is India and also includes Sri Lanka
and the Maldives with a little more than 1100 million people.
Third in population is East Asia with about 800 million, and it
includes Japan, the Koreas, Southeast Asia, and the island nations
of the Pacific including Australia and New Zealand. The region
called Africa has about 700 million people; it includes all the
nations in Africa except the North African countries that are
in the Middle East region, which is fifth in population with about
570 million. Next in population is Europe with about 530 million
including Turkey. The North America region includes the nations
of Central America and has about 470 million people. The North
Asia region has about 460 million people and includes Russia and
many of the former Soviet republics of Central Asia plus Mongolia,
Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Nepal. The smallest region by population
is South America with a little over 400 million, and it includes
the island nations of the Caribbean. Having nine regions electing
Presidents and Senators is intended to help balance out the densely
populated nations of Asia and Africa that are so strongly represented
in the Assembly. As population becomes more evenly spread around
the globe, the differences between the regions in population are
likely to decrease.

I believe that the Council of Nine Presidents is better and
safer than having a single president of the world or even a smaller
number. Thus the Presidents of at least six regions must approve
legislation (unless their veto is over-ridden), and also this
two-thirds majority is needed for enforcing the laws of the Federal Earth Democracy.

The Supreme Court is the highest authority in the judicial
branch of the Federal Earth
Democracy. Nine judges serve nine-year terms, one being appointed
each year by the President and Senators of each region with the
advice and consent of three-fifths of the Senate. The judges may
be reappointed. They have jurisdiction over all cases affecting
international relations, the seas, and conflicts between nations
and citizens of different nations. Levying war is considered treason
against the Federal Earth
Democracy. The Presidents and any officers of the Federal
Earth Democracy may be impeached by the Assembly of Representatives
for treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors, and
those impeached are tried by the Supreme Court.

Congress may not prohibit immigration that the nations permit
nor may it suspend habeas corpus nor pass ex post facto laws.
No nation will be allowed to send military forces outside their
borders without the consent of Congress; neither may nations make
military alliances with each other nor may they engage in war.

Congress may not establish any religion nor may it prohibit
the free exercise of religion, and no religious test shall ever
be required to hold an office in the Federal
Earth Democracy. Freedom of speech, the press, and the right
of people to assemble peaceably are guaranteed. No unreasonable
searches or seizures may be granted. Every person has the right
to a trial by jury, the assistance of counsel, and protection
against self-incrimination and double jeopardy. Slavery is banned
from the Earth, and the right to vote may not be denied "on
account of race, color, sex, religion, political association,
sexual orientation, or previous condition," nor to anyone
eighteen or older because of age. The age limit is set in the
elections of the Federal
Earth Democracy so that no nation will attempt to get more
votes in Presidential and Senatorial elections by lowering the
age limit.

Every person on Earth has the right to attend free public schools,
use free public libraries, and receive free health care. Congress
may pass no law "interfering with a patient's right to be
treated by a physician."

Election campaigns are to be publicly financed, and only small
contributions by individuals are allowed for candidates in elections
in which they are entitled to vote. Public debates and the publishing
of sample ballots are financed by the Federal
Earth Democracy. No candidate may keep campaign donations
after the election, and no office holder may have any other income
besides the compensation by the Federal
Earth Democracy. These remedies are very important in order
to remove the corruption of money interests from the political
decision-making process.

Finally, to go into effect the Constitution
of the Federal Earth Democracy must be ratified by the legislatures
of three fourths of the nations with more than one million people
or by a majority vote of the citizens in three fourths of the
nations with more than one million people.

The Federal Earth Democracy
would hold elections in odd-numbered years with primaries in May
and general elections in November. The Federal
Earth Democracy could function in various locations by modern
means of communication and eventually could choose its own capital
for the Congress and Council of Nine Presidents and their administration,
and the Supreme Court. Since the vast majority of human population
is in the large land mass that makes up Asia, Europe, and Africa,
the most practical location to make transportation most efficient
might be somewhere in Central Asia or the Middle East. The idea
occurred to me that Kashmir might elect to be an independent country,
settle their religious conflicts, and perhaps become a central
seat of government for the Federal
Earth Democracy. If Kashmir did become an independent nation,
I think that it could be part of the North Asia region.

As the Federal Earth Democracy
begins to function, it could take over the agencies that have
been a part of the United Nations framework, just as the UN took
over the League of Nations
agencies. The main purpose of the Federal
Earth Democracy is to resolve international conflicts, and
by reducing military violence and military expenditures it could
allow needed development to alleviate poverty and provide health
care and education for all. However, each nation would still maintain
sovereignty over its own internal affairs as long as it did not
violate human rights or attempt to foment the violence of war.
The governments of the nations would decide what kind of social
and economic systems they want to have by their own democratic
processes. Only when a group of people attempts to force their
way on others by using violence would the Federal
Earth Democracy be allowed to intervene and bring the violators
to justice through its courts. As long as the people on the Earth
are peaceful, the budget of the Federal
Earth Democracy can be small and its government very limited.
The nations can provide their own systems of health care and education,
but they may be assisted by wealthy nations, groups, and individuals.